Nik Tzanev – AFC Wimbledon (English League One)

Nik Tzanev has had to be so patient for his chances since joining AFC Wimbledon. Working his way up from the U23s to the first team, from third choice to backup, to cup-day alternate... until he finally got a run of games lately and mate has he taken his chance. Grabbed it with two hefty gloved hands.

The last few Flying Kiwis write-ups have explored his situation in detail as various loanees and short term signings have gotten games ahead of him – in all comps Tzanev has been an unused sub on 57 occasions for this club in the four years he’s been there. For nine starts, six of them in cup competitions (not including his current run). But he did get a good lot of games out on loan playing non-League for Sutton United last season and that’s all set him up for an astounding couple weeks of form that culminated in a 1-0 win against Northampton Town this weekend and led to some frantic re-writing of The People’s Encyclopedia...

How did things get to such a place of messianic adoration? Well, folks, gather round as we embark on this tale. The Dons are deep in a relegation battle in League One and things have been ugly. They’ve managed to sneak off the bottom since Tzanev came in thanks to a few draws ticking the points over but they very much needed a win up against fellow stragglers Northampton. Being a game between two rubbish teams there was bugger all action to report... up until the very end where things suddenly went ballistic.

88th minute of the match and The Dons swung in a corner to the back post. Header’s aimed back across but it only gets as far as the next defender, bouncing awkwardly off his shin. Next fella turns to hoof it clear but in rushes Joe Pigott at full speed who pretty much charges the clearance down inside the six yard box and there’s the crucial goal. Deadlock broken right at the end. But not quite at the end. Because with five minutes of injury time to go Northampton pumped the ball into the mixer where madness ensued and the end result was a penalty awarded to Northampton. It was the 97th minute by the time the kick was taken. A massive victory seemingly escaping the AFCW right at the end. Ha. Not if Nik Tzanev had anything to say about it...

Brilliant save. Heroic. Literally the last act of the game as the final whistle went amidst the celebrations. True lord and saviour stuff. Tzanev had already been impressive in his first three games but serving up the glory at the end there surely puts a stamp on the envelope that holds his submission form to be the full time number one for this club. A 1-0 win, their first win in eight games (though they’re undefeated in the last four starts that Tzanev has made), lifts the Dons up to 21st on the ladder. Still in the relegation zone but only by goal difference against these opponents and with two games in hand. Outstanding.

Here’s his goalkeeping coach absolutely digging it...

Funny thing is that penalty save was pretty much the only stop he had to make all game but the scenario being what it was it was worth more than anything anyone else did this weekend, apparently...

Tell ‘em how you feel, Nik...

Nik Tzanev: “Words just can't describe. Being here for four years, it's been a bit of a struggle for me being able to get into the team and coming back from Sutton and not playing, not being given the chance. Having that opportunity now is just amazing for me.”

Up Next: Away to Plymouth Argyle on Saturday at 3am (NZT)

Lily Alfeld, Elizabeth Anton & Malia Steinmetz – Perth Glory (Australian W-League)

Let’s do these final weekend W-League games in chronological order, that’ll be easiest. Perth Glory got us going with a game away against Melbourne City on Thursday night trying to squeeze in all their games under the wire. And, yes, this was the game where the Melbourne City player was proposed to after the final whistle. Viral moment there. Rhali Dobson, who is retiring after 109 W-League games to be around as her partner, now fiancee, battles brain cancer. Beautiful scenes... but before that there was a game to be played between two teams already out of top four contention.

Full contingent of NZers in the line-up for Perth. This game certainly had the feel of low stakes to it but despite that it was pretty competitive. Perth had a great chance early on when Hana Lowry was played in over the top but she couldn’t pick her spot. It’s been the case all season that those sort of direct moves have been the best outlets for the Glory after they soak up pressure at the back... and there was a bit of that to deal with. A mistake by Anton not winning a tackle down the right side led to Leah Davidson blasting just over. Yet for the most part Perth were doing what they needed to do. Lily Alfeld made a great stop rushing out on Chinatsu Kira late in the half before Anton made a sliding block on the follow up. Still scoreless at the half with Perth seeking to avoid defeat for what’d be just the second time this season.

Then it was more of the same in the seconds with City bossing the possession stakes and Perth just hoping for that one big break. Alfeld made a couple more comfortable saves... but then in the 63rd minute two players rushed out on the same attacker and left Rhali Dobson unmarked in the middle after a corner kick for an easy (and emphatic) tap-in. Then in the 79th min Alexandra Chidiac thumped in a second and that was pretty much that. Patricia Charalambous did score her first W-League goal late in stoppage time however 2-1 was the way it ended, another close defeat for Perth Glory. Steinmetz subbed off with twenty left to play, the other two NZers with full games.

Up Next: Hold on a second there...

Paige Satchell - Canberra United (Australian W-League)

Following that game there was a bit of this, with Canberra knowing that they needed a point (or more) against the likely minor premiers if they were going to make the top four, with Adelaide ahead of them but in range having already finished their season. Paige Satchell got out running with the ball nice and early as Canberra made clear their intentions. However Sydney FC were the first to get the ball into the net... only for Clare Wheeler to be flagged offside so it didn’t count. Then it was Michelle Heyman’s turn to lead the way as the Green Machine had several chances to take the lead but good goalkeeping kept them empty.

Sydney FC were a shadow of their usual selves and it didn’t help that Cortnee Vine went off injured in the first half. But their defence was holding things down for them and the post did its job too when it collided with Heyman’s diving header in the 48th min. Heyman also within range of Emily Gielnik for golden boot so there was double emphasis for her... but this’d prove a frustrating game for MH. And for Paige Satchell too. The kiwi winger didn’t register a shot, putting in quite a bit of work but not getting much to show for it before being subbed off in the 70th minute. The game would end in a 0-0 stalemate.

But that’s all good. The draw’s enough to put Canberra into fourth place and ensure that there are three teams with a New Zealander in the semi-finals. Canberra will face whoever finishes first which will either be Sydney FC or Melbourne Victory depending on who wins when those to play on Wednesday evening.

Up Next: TBD (the semi-finals will be held on Monday & Tuesday evening NZT though)

Annalie Longo & Claudia Bunge – Melbourne Victory (Australian W-League)

For the second time in a couple weeks, five kiwis started in the same W-League game. Amazing scenes... but it’s probably best to just focus on the two that played for the Victory here because it was not a happy day for Perth Glory, that’s for sure. Completing their season in inglorious fashion with a six goal defeat that leaves them winless through the entire campaign with 11 losses and one draw from twelve matches.

Hence we’ll give the focus mostly to Melbourne Victory as they put this thing beyond doubt as quickly as they could thanks to a Melina Ayres double, scoring in the 21st and 35th minutes. Lily Alfeld had been good enough to keep Melinda Barbieri’s early effort from crossing the line, before Perth actually took the lead thanks to Hana Lowry but it wasn’t awarded. Called back for a foul in the build-up. Then Ayres tapped in her first and although it briefly looked like a sneaky pass through from Malia Steinmetz might lead to an immediate equaliser from Katarina Jukic, the offside flag went up. Jukic still flipped the ball in with a rabona just for kicks.

Ayres scored again following up on a Lisa De Vanna shot (after working a one-two with Annalie Longo) that Alfeld couldn’t hold. A preventable fumble and Ayres swooped in for the strike. Longo was then replaced at half-time, hopefully just a precautionary or tactical thing given that she has missed a bit of time with injury during the campaign already, and the Victory did not let up. Straight after the break and look who it is, Claudia Bunge with her second goal of the season...

Great header. Kyra Cooney-Cross with the delivery... and KCC would set up the next one too with a rocket shot off the crossbar that Catherine Zimmerman was the quickest to react to second phase to score before Alfeld could recover. From there it was a Victory lap. On the hour Cooney-Cross finally got one of her own, latching onto a punched clearance from Alfeld and managing to avoid Steinmetz’s tackle to shoot. Then she scored another with quarter of an hour left lashing past Alfeld after dashing in behind. 6-0 to Melbourne Victory... wow.

That sets up a playoff for first place against Sydney FC on Wednesday night which is gonna be massive. The Victory didn’t look like being anywhere close to minor premier status not so long ago but six wins and a draw from their last seven matches sure changed that tone in a hurry. And after a couple consecutive 1-0 wins the six goals here will be huge leading into the season definers on the cards next. Claudia Bunge has started every game for a team with seven clean sheets from eleven games including three in a row - it’s been 315 minutes since they last conceded.

As for Perth, a terrible season of results for an inexperienced team however they have unearthed a couple belter prospects (especially Hana Lowry) and they did bring three new Flying Kiwis into the mix. Lily Alfeld is miles ahead of the field in the saves tally – she’s made 54 of them in her 12 games. Both Alfeld and Anton played every single minute (Anton scoring a goal and picking up a yellow card along the way). Steinmentz also played every game, coming off the bench once. Tough yarns but it’s onwards and upwards for the three of them with reputations enhanced despite it all.

Up Next: Sydney vs Melbourne Victory, battle for top spot, Wednesday at 9.35pm (NZT)

Olivia Chance - Brisbane Roar (Australian W-League)

Which left us with Brisbane Roar against Newcastle Jets, Brizzy right on the brink of booking a top four spot and they left nothing up for debate with a comprehensive 3-0 win. Took a while for them to get the breakthrough but it wasn’t for lack of trying. The Jets had actually started the sharper team, hitting the crossbar early, but after the first ten minutes it was clear that there was only likely to be one winner. Emily Gielnik was ferocious, stinging the palms of Claire Coelho a couple times. It was surely only a matter of time.

The first goal came in the 41st minute as a corner was punched clear but chipped back into the box where Gielnik headed it on target at the back stick only for Coelho to deny her again but the rebound fell to Kaitlyn Torpey and that was that. Easy tap-in. Gielnik would get one for herself before too long. 13 for the season in her last game before leaving for Sweden - a great header from a corner kick. Mariel Hecher also hit the crossbar from distance although gotta say that Newcastle had a couple very close calls at 2-0 which could have made it an interesting finish. The post and the keeper took care of those though and Hecher would add an 81st minute third for the victory, playing poacher in the six yard box off another corner. A corner that was won after an overlapping run from Olivia Chance saw her unleash a shot that was deflected and then parried wide by the goalie. Pretty quiet ninety minutes from Chancey otherwise although she did have one other shot that was blocked. This 3-0 win guarantees Brisbane second place and a home semi-final (despite actually sitting first as it stands – either Melbourne Victory or Sydney FC will overtake them in that last match).

Up Next: Also TBD

Michael Woud – Almere City (Dutch Eerste Divisie)

Ooosh that’s not good. 2-0 defeat to a midtable team and they really can’t afford too many more of these kinda results. Only lucky thing is that Cambuur and De Graafschap both lost as well so AC may drop to fourth but they remain within two points of second place and automatic promotion. This with all of the top four having played 30 matches, thus with eight remaining (there’s a promotion playoff thing as well which is the fallback option for Almere City but that’s a low percentage option when automatic rise is available). Tidy from Michael Woud for most of that latest game however a couple concessions in the second half really spoiled that. But MVV were the better team for most of the way so what are ya gonna do?

Up Next: Almere vs NEC, Saturday at 7am (NZT)

Abby Erceg – North Carolina Courage (American National Women’s Soccer League)

Very happy indeed. We’re talking about a two year contract extension with a club option for 2023 in there as well. Keeping Abby Erceg in town with the Courage for what’ll hopefully be plenty more titles to go with the ones she won in 2016, 2018 & 2019 (the first of those while the club was still the Western New York Flash). Plus she was the 2018 NWSL Defender of the Year along with numerous other individual honours. Too many to count.

NCC Head Coach Paul Riley: “Abby has been massive to this club’s success. From leadership to pure knowledge of the game to an unrivaled fitness regime, Kiwi has become the best defender in the NWSL. Having her sign a longer term contract shows the club’s aggressive mentality toward improvement. She has so many tools and so much respect from the squad. I’ve coached some great leaders, but Kiwi is special and she understands that habits are the invisible architecture of a daily professional’s life. She is a fabulous pro, and she bleeds commitment to the club.”

2020 was obviously a bit of a strange year for the Courage, as it was for most sporting entities. They looked excellent at the Challenge Cup, winning all four classification games to earn the top seed, but then were upset in the quarter finals by old rivals Portland Thorns. Erceg was huge for them in those games including scoring an 81st minute winner in a 1-0 win over Chicago. But she opted out of the second phase of the league resumption along with a number of other players. NCC ended up with loanees and youth players playing a pretty big role as they won only one of four games there, finishing fifth. The Fall Series wasn’t exactly a serious comp though, with the actual NWSL championship (and all individual honours) not awarded for 2020. So technically speaking the Courage are still defending champs.

The 2021 season begins with another Challenge Cup before leading into a proper regular season. Racing Louisville take the league back up to ten teams. Barring any unforeseen dramas this should be a full and proper NWSL campaign... though the Courage have gone through a few changes since the 2019 title winners. Abby Erceg will have a new CB partner after USA international Abby Dahlkemper signed with Manchester City on a permanent basis. They also made a change at keeper, trading away forward Crystal Dunn for GK Casey Murphy (both USA internationals) while former GK Stephanie Labbé signed in Sweden with FC Rosengård. Jaelene Daniels has retired, another change in the backline. But they have signed Ghanaian captain Elizabeth Addo (Apollon Limassol), Irish veteran Diane Caldwell (SC Sand), and Welsh international Angharad James (Reading) in a fascinating little overseas haul. All those changes at the back mean all the more reason to be stoked with Abby Erceg sticking around longer.

Up Next: It all gets underway again for real on 11 April at 7.30am vs Washington Spirit (NZT)

Ria Percival – Tottenham Hotspur (English Super League)

Derby Day Disappointment is the standard alliterative phrase. With the men on an international break, the ladies were able to partake in this grudge game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium... but they were no match for Arsenal. The Gunners took the lead through Aussie Caitlyn Foord in the 26th minute, then soon after Vivianne Miedema scored an absolute belter of a volley. 2-0 down at the half, Spurs did create a few things in an improved second half yet it was Katie McCabe who instead scored a third for AFC after an hour and it could have been quite a few more had Becky Spencer not been fantastic in goal for Spurs. Several ripping saves. A comprehensive win.

But the real headline is that Ria Percival didn’t play, thus breaking her streak of having been ever-present in league action this season. She’d played every single minute up until this point but wasn’t even in the matchday squad for the Arsenal game so presumably dealing with an injury or something. So that’s a bummer. The tally of everpresent rivals had been dwindling every few weeks but not Percy’s fallen off the back of the truck as well.

Up Next: Monday at 1am against Manchester City (NZT)

Jana Radosavljevic - Werder Bremen (German Bundesliga)

Rado didn’t start this week away to SV Meppen but maybe she should have because they were 2-0 down at half-time when she was brought on. Alexandra Emmerling got it started in the 11th minute as Werder failed to get the ball clear from a scramble then in the 44th min Bianca Becker doubled that from the near post again after some less than ideal defence. Werder did spark a few moments that might’ve gotten them back into it but then Vivien Endemann broke the line on the counter and made it 3-0 in the 73rd min. Ah well.

Wait, hold up because there was a twist in this tale. A free kick move down the left wing led to Michell Ulbirch pulling a goal back in the 81st min and then a silly moment from the Meppen keeper picking up a long back pass (perhaps thinking the whistle had blown?) gave Werder an indirect free kick just inside the box and while the lay-off to Katharina Schiechtl was blocked, Ricarda Walkling got on the loose ball and whipped in an excellent finish and with five minutes left it was 3-2. However Meppen closed it out. 3-2 the way it ended. Check out the highlights here. Not a good result for Werder Bremen who still probably need to win another couple games to be sure of their top flight status but even worse for Hannah Wilkinson’s MSV Duisburg as it leaves them even further adrift at the bottom.

Up Next: 19 April at midnight vs Bayer Leverkusen (NZT)

Hannah Wilkinson – MSV Duisburg (German Bundesliga)

Speaking of MSV Duisburg, their game saw heaps of goals but none of them for the Zebras, let alone for Hannah Wilkinson. They were always up against it versus Bayern Munich, who coming off a 3-0 Champions League first leg win over Rosengård, and sure enough it got rather ugly with a 6-0 defeat. Bayern’s 25th win in a row. Doesn’t help when you concede multiple penalties in the first hour. Wilkinson played the first 81 minutes before being replaced with Bayern’s last two goals coming after that point. Full higlights here. Can’t add too much else about a very one-sided affair but maybe Duisburg will have more luck midweek against Eintracht Frankfurt.

Up Next: Eintracht Frankfurt vs Duisburg, Thursday at 1am (NZT)

Tommy Smith – Colchester United (English League Two)

The first thing to say about Colchester’s midweek clash with Tranmere Rovers is that yes they did score a goal. Captain Harry Pell finished from up close to give them a 30th minute lead and end a run of more than eight hours without one. Five straight scoreless games plus change. But like the old joke about London buses they didn’t have to wait too long for a second as Brendan Wiredu polished off Pell’s 54th minute cross to make it 2-0. Should have probably been three but Wiredu had earlier scooped a sitter over the top.

This had been far from a one-sided game though. Dean Gerken had been busy in goal on his recall to the starting team (one point blank save in particular) and the post came in handy too so Tranmere, who are battling for promotion, could easily have been the ones leading by a couple goals themselves. Sure enough they’d pull one back in the 62nd minute from the penalty spot... after Tommy Smith was ruled to have handled the ball. He tried to argue that his arm had been tucked in but to no avail. Probably a fair call. Danny Lloyd slammed it down the middle to score and then Jay Spearing scored a deflected volley five minutes later. Both teams gassed it for a winner – with Tranmere hitting the post in stoppage time – but it ended 2-2.

Then it was Bradford City away and it took ten minutes before they were losing. Kian Scales with a very slick finish following some less than convincing stuff in the midfield from the U’s... hey, it’s League Two. Comes with the territory. Colchester had decent chances through Pell and Jevani Brown. Then just before the break they got back level as Frank Nouble nodded down a deep free kick floated to the far post. Nicely done, they had a decent shout for a penalty before the intermission too.

But Andy Cook headed home from a Clayton Donaldson cross after Colchester had given the ball away in midfield again in the 58th minute and honestly they were only lucky it didn’t get worse. A shot off the crossbar and a clearance off the line amongst the Bradford chances along the way. A 2-1 defeat. A late booking for Smithy included. Colchester are at least getting back on the scoresheet again but their winless streak is now up to seven matches and it’s one win from 22 going back even further. They’re only four points clear of the drop zone with five of the closest six teams to them all picking up points this weekend. It’s going to be a nail-biter.

Up Next: Saturday at 1am away to Bolton (NZT)

Meikayla Moore – Liverpool (English Championship)

The Reds have been in some more than useful form lately so gotta be a bit disappointed with a draw with Blackburn. Particularly when they were the better side on the day. Missy Bo Kearns had given them the lead with a fierce shot that took a slight deflection on its way in, some fortune there but not really considering that Liverpool had already threatened about three or four times before that 34th minute strike. And plenty more afterwards too.

Yet that second goal eluded them and left them vulnerable as a much-improved second half from Blackburn led to Elise Hughes sneaking in a scrambly equaliser on the hour mark. And try as they might the Reds could not find a winner. Wasn’t to be. A full game for Meikayla Moore at centre back but that’s a given these days.

Up Next: Liverpool vs Lewes, Sunday at 11pm (NZT)

Katie Rood - Lewes FC (English Championship)

Decent little 2-1 win over London Bees, get in there. Definitely a game they would have targeted against the bottom team on the ladder yet it was far from a straightforward one as an early own goal to Lewes’ benefit was cancelled out by Sophie Quirk midway through the half and it wasn’t until into the second half that Lewes got back in front as Megan Mackey’s cross floated in with the breeze from out wide right.

Katie Rood was on the bench for all that. She was subbed on with ten to play as the Rooks searched for the third goal that’d clinch it and Roodie came as close as anyone when she held off a defender outside the box and fired a shot that was pushed wide on the dive by the Bees keeper. Two goals was enough in the end. Back to back wins for Lewes for the first time in five months.

Seems Katie’s keeping pretty busy off the pitch too...

Protect and empower our planet, people. Nature is sacred.

Up Next: Liverpool vs Lewes, Sunday at 11pm (NZT)

The MLS Lads In Preseason

Meanwhile Elliot Collier, who also has a goal in preseason, is expected to miss some time for the Chicago Fire thanks to an ankle injury picked up in the most recent friendly. He’s one of a number of Fire attackers out injured at the moment though appears to be the least serious of the knocks. Fingers crossed.

After the bonanza of last season there are only the four fellas on MLS deals at the moment. Noah Billingsley being the other. But to be fair there were only four who played regularly in 2020 anyway. Billingsley made a debut late on in the year, Winston Reid got big minutes but obviously he’s gone back to England since then. Deklan Wynne, Kyle Adams, and James Musa have all stepped back to USL level after only sparse (in the Moose’s case) or non-existent (Adams + Wynne) appearances.

Up Next: MLS season kicks off in three weeks

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